Molding and movable base receptacle



Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOLDING AND MOVABLE BASE RECEPTACLE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to moldings for buildings and particularly to an improved molding and base plug, the object being to provide a construction wherein a baseboard or molding is presented with the parts so formed as to receive and coact with a sliding electric plug or receptacle whereby the receptacle or plug may be positioned at any desired point along the molding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a baseboard structure for buildings or the like, formed of metal and provided with a runway for a slidable electric socket and a cable for connecting the socket with a source of current.

A further object, more specifically, is to provide in a molding a receptacle formed in two parts and disengageably connected together for permitting the socket to be readily assembled and disassembled.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a perspective view disclosing an embodiment of the invention, certain parts being shown in section for better illustrating the construction;

Figure 2 is an end view of one half of the receptacle shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the other half of the receptacle shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the receptacle shown in Figure l, the cover plate being removed;

Figure 5 is a front View of the receptacle shown in Figure l, the same being on an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a sectional view through Figure 5, on the line 'ii- 6.

In all modern buildings electric wiring systems are provided so that electricity may be supplied to desired points for lighting and other purposes. In carrying out the usual practice now in vogue, particularly in dwellings or apartment houses, floor plugs are used. In providing iioor plugs, as they are commonly called, electric rec-eptacles may be placed at desired points either in the floor or in the side Walls. Usually these receptacles are placed at desired points in the baseboard or molding, which in many instances is formed of Wood. When it is desired to use a lamp or other electrical device at some other point in the room, another receptacle must be installed. In apartment houses where tenants move in and out more or less frequently the shifting of the receptacles to suit new tenants involves an ap-preciable eX- pense, as well as more or less mutilation of the baseboards or moldings. So far this has been the only method used to secure the desired result of having electric outlets for lamps and other devices.

In the present invention, however, an improved construction has been provided whereby the various plugs or receptacles may be shifted along a wall to various positions as desired. As an instance, in a roo-m an embodiment of the invention may be arranged on each side for the full length of the walls thereof, and when properly installed there may be, if desired, only one out- 10 let carried by each side of the room. This outlet can at any time be shifted along the wall and a lamp or other electrical device can be connected therewith. This avoids continual mutilation of the baseboard or molding and at the same time presents a desired structure for the new tenant without any added expense, as the outlet may be shifted to suit the new tenant by merely sliding the outlet to the desired point.

If more than one outlet is desired in each wall they can be readily supplied and shifted as just described.

As shown in Figure 1, the molding is of a desired and more or less conventional shape so as to present substantially the usual appearance of moldings or baseboards of this kind. The outlet, as far as appearance is concerned, is also conventional. Referring particularly to Figure 1, the molding I is made of metal and is hollow, the same being provided with a rear wall 2, a bottom wall 3, a top wall 4 merging into a flange 5, and a front wall 6 having an offset portion 1 provided with an upstanding guide and supporting rail 8. In addition, a plate 9 is provided having a iiange I0 whichoverlaps the flange 5 35 and the joining of the plaster with the flange 5 whereby a pleasing iinish is produced. The ange 9 is bent at Il and again at I2 so as to provide an ornamental structure, and in addition to provide a depending guide or curtain |3'40 which acts with the guide and supporting rail 8 for properly holding the receptacle I4 in position ready to be slid along. This arrangement of baseboard or molding provides a groove I5 in which an extending portion IB of the receptacle I4 fits.

The receptacle I4 is provided with an extension I6 which merges into a body I1, as shown in Figure 6. The extension I6 and the body I1 are provided 'with the conventional contact mem- 50 bers I8 so as to receive the prongs of an ordinary conventional plug. Instead of the contacts I8 which are of the usual structure and positioned in the usual place in receptacles being connected directly to a supply wire, they are connected to the springs I9. These springs are substantially U-shaped, there being one spring for each contact I8. Each spring is formed with a pressed-up portion 2D which is adapted to snap into the aperture 2| in the depending bar 22. It will be understood that both contacts I8 are identical so that the description of one will apply to both, the structure being shown clearly in Figure 6, The bar 22 is comparatively stiff and at the upper end is bent at right angles to the depending portion and clamped by the screw 23 to the extension 24 of the auxiliary body 25. A screw 2B is carried by the extension 21 so that the wire 28 of a cable 29 may be firmly clamped to the extension 21, thus affording an electric connection with the contacts I8. As shown in Figure 4, there are two screws 26 so as to connect the respective wires 28 and 28 to the respective contacts I8 through the respective bars 22 and 22. A cover plate 30 is arranged on top of the auxiliary body 25 so as to cover the parts just described and permit ready access thereto. Suitable screws 3| clamp the cover plate 30 in position.

It will be understood that the extension I6, body I1, extension 24, auxiliary body 25 and cover plate 30 are all made from insulating material. In order that there Will be no undesirable wear on the insulated parts a metallic saddle 32 is provided, the same having an aperture 33 through which a screw driver may extend to hold the member 34 in place while the screw 35 is tightened, said member 34 acting as a nut coacting with the screw 35 to clamp certain parts together. These members not only hold the friction saddle 32 in place but pass between the respective barsv 22 and 22 and thereby lock the members 32, 36, and I1 together.

When it is desired to apply a new receptacle to a baseboard or molding, as shown in Figure 1, the plate 9 is removed and the new receptacle is merely set down in the correct position with the saddle 32 straddling the guide and supporting rail 8. A cable similar to cable 29 is connected therewith and this cable is then connected to a suitable source of supply. It will be noted that the cable 29 is located within the metallic baseboard or moulding and has one end connected as shown in Figure 4, and the opposite end connected to an ordinary plug 31 which ts into an ordinary receptacle 38 of the kind now in common use. When the baseboard is first installed the conventional receptacle 38 is placed in position by an electrician and preferably the plug 31 and receptacle I4 are also placed in position. I'he electrician then secures the plate 9 in place by the respective screws 39 and the device is in functioning position. If there is only one receptacle I4 along the wall it may be slid the full length of the wall. The receptacle 38 may be placed at the end of the baseboard or in the middle as desired. The plug 31 is preferably a double one so that the cable 29 may be connected therewith so as to be connected with a second receptacle I4 in a similar manner to the way it is shown in Figure 4. It is, o1' course, understood that one, two or more receptacles I4 can be connected to the same outlet 38, or if the baseboard is exceptionally long, several outlets 38 can be provided without departing from the spirit of the invention. As the outlet or sliding receptacle moves, the cable 29 also moves, or at least part of the same moves, as it is flexible. Naturally one end of this cable is secured to the outlet or source, for instance, the

fitting 31 shown in Fig. 1, and the other end is connected to the sliding receptacle. Usually the source of current is supplied to the outlet member 38 and this member, as far as the cable 29 is concerned, is a source of current. As the sliding outlet moves back and forth the cable 29 in a certain sense folds and unfolds as it is iiexible.

It is intended that the molding or baseboard be substantially conventional in size but be made from metal so that all electrical parts may be fully enclosed in metal. It is also understood that the outside shape and contour of the baseboard shall be of the desired conventional shape to present a pleasing appearance and which will not be undesirable as being of special construction. Where a baseboard is used of the exact shape shown in Figure l, the same is arranged either upon one or both sides of the room. It is,

of course, feasible to position the same on all sides of the room, but ordinarily one or two sides are only supplied with the metal baseboard or molding, and the other sides are provided with Wooden baseboards of the same shape and appearance.

By using this form of molding with a sliding outlet or receptacle it is not necessary when a new tenant moves into an apartment to send for an electrician and have new outlets installed where the new tenant desires. It is merely necessary to slide the receptacle I4 to the position desired by the new tenant and the receptacle left in that position until another change is needed. It will be understood that the outlet or receptacle I4 is not to be slid back and forth continually but is only changed occasionally, namely, when the tenant desires to have a lamp or other electrical fixture positioned at some other place in the room. This arrangement obviates the placing of new outlets in the baseboard and removing old outlets.

1. A molding and movable outlet comprising a hollow molding having an opening therein extending from one end to the other thereof, an electric outlet carried by said molding and` extending through said opening, and a flexible cable wholly within said hollow molding for connecting said outlet to a source of current one end of said cable moving with said outlet.

2. A molding and outlet comprising a hollow metal molding having a body formed with an offset portion and a plate overlapping said offset portion whereby there is presented a slot formed on the face of the molding merging into a vertical passageway, an electric outlet formed of a shape to nt into said molding and extending through said passageway, and a foldable, ilexible conductor positioned wholly within said molding connecting said outlet with a source of current.

3. A molding formed with a hollow body, an electric outlet slidingly carried by the molding with a part extending interiorly thereof and a part extending exteriorly thereof, and a flexible cable wholly within said molding for connecting the interior part of said outlet with a supply of current whereby the outlet is continually charged.

4. In a building, a molding for a room thereof comprising a metal structure acting in the double capacity of the usual molding and as an electric conduit casing having a slot extending longitudinally thereof, a foldable, flexible conduit arranged wholly in said molding and a receptacle slidably carried by said molding and extending through said slot, said receptacle being connected to one end of said conduit, said receptacle being movable longitudinally of the molding while extending through said slot and means for connecting the other end of said conductor to a source of electric supply, folding and unfolding as the receptacle moves back and forth.

5. A molding and electric outlet comprising a hollow molding structure formed with a supporting and guiding rail, and an outlet formed to straddle said rail, said outlet having a projection carrying outlet contacts of standard shape and positioned for the reception of an electric plug, conductor means extending from said contacts to above and across said rail, and a flexible conduit connected to said means.

6. In a device of the character described, a receptacle substantially U-shaped in transverse cross section formed with means for receiving lead-in wires at one extremity of the structure and contacts at the other extremity of the structure, a member forming a supporting saddle for slidingly supporting the receptacle on a rail, and means forming an electrical communication between the contacts and the means for receiving the lead-in wires.

7. In a device of the character described, an outlet formed in two parts, one of said parts having a pair of L-shaped conductor bars, means on each conductor bar for clamping a supply wire thereto, the other part having a pair of prong engaging contacts, each of said contacts having a resilient extension, and the other part having a passageway for permitting portions of said L- shaped conductors to extend into said other part and engage said resilient extensions so as to connect the contacts electrically with the means for securing the supply wire to said conductors, and means extending through said conductors for clamping the conductors to said other part whereby the respective parts are held together as a unit.

8. A device of the character described including a hollow molding, a supply outlet connected therewith, said molding having an opening on one face extending longitudinally of the molding,`

a slidable outlet carried by said molding with certain parts of said slidable outlet, extending through said opening, and a flexible, foldable electrical conductor connecting the slidable outlet with the rst mentioned outlet, said conductor being positioned wholly within the hollow molding and also positioned to fold and unfold as the slidable outlet is moved back and forth along said opening.

9. A molding and electric outlet comprising a hollow molding structure having a longitudinally extending slot in one face, an outlet slidingly mounted in said slot, and a foldable, flexible conductor cable connected at one end with a source of current and at the other end to said outlet, said cable being wholly within said molding structure.

10. A molding and electric outlet comprising a molding structure having a longitudinally extending slot', an outlet slidingly mounted in said slot, and a foldable, flexible conductor cable in said molding structure connected to a source of current and to said outlet.

11. A molding including a wall having an offset part forming one edge portion thereof, said offset part including a panel extending at substantially right angles to said wall and an upstanding panel parallel to said wall adapted to carry a sliding outlet, and a member detachably mounted in position above said wall with the lower edge portion overlapping and spaced from said upstanding panel suil'lciently to produce with said upstanding panel when the panel is in a vertical position, a vertically elongated passageway for the outlet carried by said upstanding panel.

12. A molding formed with a wall having upper and lower parts, said lower part at its upper edge portion being offset so that there will be presented a rail offset from the remaining portion of said lower part, said upper part having its lower edge portion overlapping said rail sufficiently to form a vertically elongated passageway therewith when said wall is vertical, said passageway extending uninterruptedly longitudinally for the full length of the molding.

13. A molding comprising a body having a back wall, a top, a bottom, and a front wall parallel to but spaced from said back wall, said front wall falling short of said top with the upper edge portion offset toward said back wall, said offset portion acting as an outlet receiving rail, and a cover plate at the upper part coacting with said top to form an enclosure, the lower portion overlapping said rail sufficiently to present when the molding is in a vertical position a vertically elongated passageway parallel to said rail and extending for the full length of the molding.

WARREN G. SCHALLER. 

